November 09, 2018 at 11:34AM As you glide quickly from one asana to another in yoga, it can start to feel like you’re a human pretzel, who may or may not be doing everything exactly right. The thing is, while you don’t necessarily have to look just like your instructor perfectly executing every move, certain mistakes can take a slight toll on your body (or just not feel as good as doing the move properly). At Well+Good’s last retreat, which took place at the Cedar Lakes Estate, co-leader and New York City-based yoga instructor Beth Cooke revealed the three moves that people most commonly don’t get just right. “These are common things that people get wrong,” she says as she makes hands-on adjustments. “Okay, maybe not wrong—but there are better ways of doing them.” Whether it’s just an alignment that’s out of wack or a downward dog that could use some improvement, here are Cooke’s simple alterations to the most common yoga mistakes that she sees in her classes. “They’re little corrections, but they make a big difference,” says Cooke. “It’s hard work but it’s better for the body, and it’ll give you a stronger practice.” Namaste. Photos: Elena Mudd Downward facing dog “Take your regular down dog with your middle fingers facing forward so you have better traction to lift the hips up and back,” says Cooke. “Now bend your knees and stick your tailbone even higher. Now you’ll have more strength in the spine and the side body, which is
Category: 2019 Health
Why does the keto diet make your breath smell so freaking foul?
November 09, 2018 at 10:35AM One surprising truth about the ketogenic diet: There are a lot of weird side effects. From feeling completely wiped when you first start to funky poop problems, it isn’t all rainbows and avocados. And now for another super-fun potential downside: keto breath. Keto breath is…exactly what it sounds like. The diet can basically make your breath smell really, really foul, thanks to all of those delicious, good-for-you healthy fats you’re eating. “When you start the ketogenic diet, your liver begins breaking down fatty acids and turning them into ketones,” explains Sara Gottfried, MD. (In case you’re a keto newbie, ketones are a form of fuel for your cells that come from fat.) “Then your body uses a portion of the ketones and the rest are excreted in breath and urine,” she says. Most people compare the distinct smell to rotten apples, Dr. Gottfried adds. Fortunately, Dr. Gottfried says keto breath doesn’t last forever—it’s just an unfortunate part of your body adjusting during that transition period. “Keto adaptation takes about 10 days in healthy people, and longer in people who are insulin resistant—in my practice, up to six weeks,” she says. After that, your body—and breath—should get back to normal. But thankfully, you don’t have to just live with a smelly mouth in the meantime. Getting rid of keto breath starts with being extra-intense about your tooth-brushing routine. “Floss twice a day, scrape your tongue, and brush for two to three minutes twice a day,” Dr. Gottfried says. Something else she
The healthiest people in the world share this one fitness habit
November 09, 2018 at 10:04AM People dwelling in Blue Zones (longevity hotspots across the globe, including parts of Costa Rica, Greece, and Japan) seem to have mastered the secret sauce of living their best lives. Not only do they advocate for clocking seven-plus hours of sleep and finding an ultra-inspiring social group, they also lay claim to a simple, yet brilliant fitness tip: move naturally. Rather than popping on MindBody to book a spot on a stationary spin bike, you’ll find these connoisseurs of carpe diem walking to work, taking the stairs, and indulging in a mid-afternoon stretch, according to Dan Buettner’s The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who Have Lived the Longest. They’re also big fans of growing their own gardens, and using non-mechanical approaches to complete yard and housework. There’s a whole bunch of science supporting this back-to-basics approach, reports Quartzy: Americans have reported that their daily car commute is the most dreaded part of their everyday lives, according to NPR, so replacing it with a leisurely stroll could majorly help to de-stress. And last year, the American Cancer Society found that a daily stroll could reduce the risk of dementia by 40 percent. Plus (just to drive the point home), a report published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine this year found that walking at 2.7 fits the bill for moderate-intensity exercise. Sure, 9 to 5ers with highly sedentary jobs don’t always have the opportunity to frolic about at your leisure. But chances are you could squeeze in some time for a quick walk around
You know you have a flawless poop when when the tissue is clean post-wipe
November 09, 2018 at 09:58AM Going number two is pretty rote at this point, right? You go, you wipe, you flush. Pretty simple. But if you’re going through rolls of TP faster than Pete and Ari’s engagement (too soon?), you might actually have a problem. While toilet paper of course serves an important purpose, it turns out there shouldn’t be much use for it at all if your body is functioning properly and making healthy poops. In a recent episode of the Urban Wellness Clinic‘s podcast, naturopathic doctor Marisol Teijeiro, ND, mentioned something pretty mind-blowing: After wiping, that piece of two-ply tissue should still look spotless. “You should have absolutely nothing on the paper,” she says. “Don’t be a hyper-wiper. You should wipe once, and wipe clean.” Okay, this is obviously news to a lot of us. But this whole “wipe once” thing isn’t just about saving money on toilet paper—it’s about your health. If you’re using up a few sheets to get the dirty job done, Dr. Teijeiro says that’s a sign your body isn’t happy, and is thus producing stool that’s looser (and messier) than it should. “It’s just an example of us not eating well for our bodies, or eating things we’re sensitive to, having too much stress, or a sign of our microbiome—or our good and bad gut bacteria—not being optimal,” she says. Instead of producing something you’ll have to wipe and wipe and wipe, Dr. Teijeiro says your daily #poopgoals should consist of bowel movements that sink, not float, and
All your friends are right: You need to start watching “The Great British Baking Show”
November 09, 2018 at 09:25AM The winners of The Great British Baking Show (known as The Great British Bake Off in its native England), don’t get a cash prize. When they win, after spending 10 weeks slaving over turquoise ovens in a giant tent, churning out soufflés, meat pies, and epic, lion-shaped loaves of bread, they’re sent on their merry way with a bouquet of flowers and a glass cake stand. Oh, and the promise of becoming very, very famous. Past winners of the beloved baking competition show, which just dropped on Netflix, have gone on to quit their day jobs, sign huge book deals, and appear in television specials. One lucky winner (who will remain nameless, because, spoilers) even baked the Queen’s 90th birthday cake. The reason they’ve been able to channel their GBBO stints into successful careers is because the show is immensely popular. According to GQ, in 2014, more people in the UK watched the GBBO finale than the World Cup final. In 2016, nine of the 10 most-watched television programs in the UK were episodes of GBBO. (The only non-GBBO program was Planet Earth II.) And the reason the show is so popular in both the UK and the US (unfortunately, there are no publicly available ratings for the US run of the show because Netflix doesn’t release these stats) is because it’s amazing. More than that, it’s the salve our bruised, broken nation needs right now. The reason the show is so popular is because
You’ll soon be able to get your Impossible Burger fix at the grocery store
November 09, 2018 at 09:10AM Ever since I took my very first bite out of an Impossible Burger, I’ve been hooked. I basically plan my meals around the pinpoints on its location map. And there’s a lot of ’em: Once only served at Momofuku Nishi in New York City, the plant-based patties are now available at more than 5,000 restaurants across all 50 states (including White Castle!), not to mention 100 more around the world. Its already-impressive reach is about to get even broader, though, because the Impossible Burger is now coming to grocery stores. Following in the steps of its competitor, the Beyond Burger—which has been sold in retail since 2016—Impossible Foods just announced consumers can start stocking up their supermarket carts with Impossible Burgers starting in 2019. And, not surprisingly, the option has been highly requested. “By far the number-one message from fans on social media is, ‘When will I be able to buy and cook the Impossible Burger at home?’” said Patrick Brown, MD, Impossible Foods’ CEO and founder, in a press release. “We can’t wait until home chefs experience the magic and delight of the first plant-based meat that actually cooks and tastes like meat from animals—without any compromise.” While this news is exciting, there’s currently no further details about the next chapter of the “bleeding burger” or how it’s going to be sold. The Beyond Burger can be found everywhere from Whole Foods to Target and is stocked right in the meat section alongside the real thing, as well as
I went backstage at the Victoria’s Secret fashion show and all the Angels had one piece of advice
November 09, 2018 at 09:03AM Drink a lot of water. It’s the oldest trick in the book, and yet, one that I heard time-and-time again when I went backstage at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show (which will air on December 2) this year. While models have access to all the perks of a wellness life well-lived (and while others are known for throwing down some out-there philosophies), it seemed that everyone I talked to this year was back to the basics: chug that H2O, take off your makeup at night, meditate, and squeeze in a sweat sesh when you can. Let’s be real, it’s not magic, model-making advice, but I do think that there’s something to nailing the good-for-you basics (or picking one good habit to start making) and keeping consistent on a regular basis. From there, it’s all about what makes you feel good and in your own skin. Without further adieu, here are the wellness tips I gleaned backstage. Photo: Rachel Lapidos for Well+Good On having clear skin Megan May Williams (left): “For me, it’s drinking lots of water. And having hot water and lemon in the morning. I’ve also been taking this collagen powder leading up to the show. You put it in hot water—it’s a tip from my dad and it’s meant to fight aging and give you a glow. I also put it in smoothies with lots of greens. Spinach is really good with ginger and lemon. Cucumber is really good, I like it in my smoothies.
Constantly losing one earring? Here’s some good news for you
November 09, 2018 at 09:00AM Watching Desperately Seeking Susan for the first time as an impressionable 14-year-old was a revelatory experience. It taught me that personal ads are a great source of entertainment (R.I.P Craiglist’s missed connections), there’s no such thing as a free jacket, and most importantly, that all you need for a look is exactly one statement earring. The first time I felt bold enough to experiment with this idea, I was trying to be glass half full about losing a giant, bejeweled cross earring. (It’s honestly still painful to type about.) Instead of calling it a day and burying the other one somewhere I wouldn’t be visually triggered by it, I decided to wear it with another orphaned earring from my jewelry box. Aside from finding a second life for my widowed accessory, asymmetrical earrings are one of those things (like leisure suits or pattern mixing) that just eschews an ere of competence with complex styling. And even if you’re not into the other jewelry revivals from the ’80s, this is still a trend you can get behind without dating your look. The style trick works equally well with more delicate and minimal pieces. To start, you can scrounge through your collection to see if you have any single earrings that speak to you, or you can buy a mismatched pair or standalone statement maker from someone who’s done the work already. For the latter, below is a selection of earrings—some individual, some asymmetrical pairs, and some matching sets that
If you’re sick of your skinny jeans, try this denim trend on for size
November 09, 2018 at 08:39AM It started, like so many fashion trends do these days, with a photo of Gigi Hadid. The supermodel stepped out earlier this week wearing loose-fitted denim, and it was all the incentive the internet needed to give their skinny jeans a rest day. “It was time for something new,” says Katrina Klein, co-founder of the label ASKK NY and the first denim designer for both Rag & Bone and J Brand, of the rise of relaxed-fit pants. “The feeling of putting on a good loose pair of jeans after years of constantly putting on a restricting jean is refreshing. And it’s corny but true: When you feel good, you look good.” High-waisted with holes in the knees, Hadid’s Danielle Guizio vintage jeans sat somewhere between a straight-leg boot cut and a roomy pair of JNCOs. (Remember those?) Hadid paired her pants with a white T-shirt, a blazer, blue sunglasses, and the one thing that’s most crucial to pulling off the trend, according to Klein. “Loose-fitting jeans are all about attitude,” she says. Photo: Getty Images/Gotham/GC Images Not to be confused with boyfriend jeans, “these new loose shapes are built for women and offer her something different,” says Klein. “The cut and shapes are different. Boyfriend jeans are inspired by a men’s jean, tweaked for a woman.” Alternatively, loose-fit jeans are designed with the female figure in mind. They sit higher on the waist and the leg tapers toward the ankle, making them feel less baggy, but still relaxed.
How to winterize your skin-care routine if you plan on spending real time outdoors
November 09, 2018 at 08:38AM It’s no secret winter air and your dewy complexion are so not BFFs. But what can you do to remedy the frenemy situation besides basically bathing in moisturizer? Actually, it requires a full intervention—and you might have to make more changes to your skin care and your wardrobe than you think. That starts with swapping the products in your beauty cabinet, which should be on the same schedule as your seasonal closet change, according to Rachel Nazarian, MD, dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology. “Skin care should change with the seasons,” Dr. Nazarian says. “During winter months the humidity drops, and moisture is taken from the skin surface into the surrounding environment. This makes it more likely for skin to dry out, become irritated, and inflamed—and ultimately itchy.” #Ouch. Altering your routine is especially important if you’re a fan of outdoor winter activities (skiing fanatics and outdoor runners, we’re looking at you), which is why we got Dr. Nazarian to dish her favorite skin-saving methods—starting with her go-to Burt’s Bees products (all-natural recs FTW). Scroll down for the 3 steps you should add to your winter skin-care routine for glowing skin all season long. Photo: Stocksy/BONINSTUDIO 1. Cover up First and foremost, keeping your skin from being exposed to dry air at all is going to be the best way to keep it from drying out—which means hats, gloves, and scarves are a must whenever you go outside. “The less direct exposure to cold air and wind, the more intact your